A Gate of Night (A Shade of Vampire #6)(35)

In the months that followed, the Elder’s minions began bringing their captives to The Shade. It seemed the Elder saw the island as his very own Alcatraz. Vampires from other covens—most of them opponents of the Novak clan—began to occupy The Shade.

We weren’t told how to handle their arrival. They were just dumped at The Shade and it was up to Vivienne to figure out what to do with them.

Protecting the humans began to be a challenge the more outsiders were brought to The Shade, but we had control of the Black Heights—and both the Cells and the Catacombs within it. All outsiders were simply kept outside of the cavernous mountains.

As for the portal, none of us knew what had become of it. We weren’t given any information on whether or not anyone had crossed through any of the realms.

I really didn’t care until Vivienne showed up outside my bedroom one night.

“I’m sorry. I just… I can’t sleep,” she explained when I found her standing outside my door.

As if I’m the person you always go to when you can’t sleep. “Neither can I,” I admitted.

“Can we talk?”

“Sure.”

Intrigued, I stepped out of the bedroom and we both made our way to the living room. We made ourselves comfortable on separate couches before the vampire heaved a deep sigh.

“What’s going on, Vivienne?”

“It’s been months, Aiden. Do you think they’re still alive?”

“I have to believe that they are. Sofia is important to them. They won’t just…” I thought of my teenage daughter going through her first pregnancy. Possibly alone, a captive of a psycho freak like the Elder. I found myself unable to breathe. I hated that I couldn’t be with her. Sofia was strong, but I was her father and she’d been away from me for so long. I was never going to forgive myself for not being there for her through this.

“Do you think they’re together? Do you think Kiev is telling the truth? That Sofia is really pregnant? If she is, then they would keep them together, wouldn’t they? I…” Vivienne probably realized that it was pointless throwing her questions at me because she just stopped. “I’m scared, Aiden.”

“I am too,” I admitted, finally realizing why it was me Vivienne had come to. Of all the people in The Shade, only I could understand Vivienne’s fears regarding Derek and Sofia. I hadn’t wrapped my mind around the idea until that moment, but whether I liked it or not, since my daughter had married Derek, the Novaks were now our family.

In an attempt to appease both her and myself, I said the words that became our glue that held us together for the days to come.

“Sofia and Derek are strong and resilient. They’ll make it. Now, we have to do them proud and stay strong and resilient too. They can’t return to…” I gestured towards our surroundings. “This.”

Vivienne stared directly at the space in front of her. “We need to rebuild The Shade.”

I shrugged. “How hard could it be? You did it in…” I paused in wonder “How long did it take you to make The Shade what it is?”

“Five centuries.”

I couldn’t keep myself from scoffing. “Great. We’re attempting the impossible.”

Hope and determination sparked in the blue-violet eyes of The Shade’s princess. A smile formed on her face.

“Impossible never stopped us before.”

Chapter 20: Sofia

Eli Lazaroff and I had never gotten the chance to bond throughout my stay at The Shade, but the moment I saw him at The Blood Keep, he became my best friend.

“Eli?” I blinked several times to make sure I wasn’t just seeing things.

“In the flesh, my queen.” He nodded stoically as he scanned the room, his eyes settling on Shadow, who was seated by the door, busy lapping up a bowl of blood. Eli showed no trace of fear over the magnificent creature. On the contrary, he seemed quite taken by it.

He probably wants to poke it and study it. Curiosity might just kill Eli Lazaroff if he does that. I stared at him for quite a bit, still uncertain if he was some sort of apparition. I couldn’t explain how my heart was swelling with joy just to have a comrade, an ally at the castle.

I jumped off the bed and threw my arms around his neck. As I hugged his tall, lanky build, I began to sob against his chest, giving in to the emotions I’d been suppressing over the past months.

Eli stood stiff against my embrace. He clumsily began brushing his one hand over my hair as he cleared his throat. “Your highness, I… I’m sorry.”

I pulled away from him, not wanting to make either of us uncomfortable. “No, Eli, I’m sorry. I just… you understand. You’re the first person from home I’d seen in months, and…”

“I understand, your highness.” He nodded sympathetically.

“Please. Call me Sofia.” I pulled him toward one of the couches near the window of the finely-furnished bedroom. I sat beside him, eager to hear about home, but also dreading what he could tell me. “How’s The Shade? How’s Derek?”

He lifted his black-rimmed glasses over the bridge of his nose and creased his brows. “What do you mean? Isn’t the king here with you?”

I tensed. “You mean he isn’t at The Shade?”

Eli shook his head. “We haven’t seen either you or him since you both left after your wedding, and now…” His eyes focused on my stomach, a mixture of concern and excitement in his eyes. “I never thought I’d see the day when a woman would be carrying Derek Novak’s child.”